Chime



July 7, 1931. 4, w, KLElN 1,813,171

CHIME Filed April 1', 1950 WW B1 6 a Inventor .z'llornevi Patented July 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH W. KLEIN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TI-IE ELECTRIC SIGNAL COMPANY, LIMITED, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALI- FOBNIA CHIM'E Application filed April 1,

My invention pertains to electric chimes, that is chimes which may be electrically operated and controlled.

In a chimeconstruction, particularly that 5 employing gongs formed of metal tubes which are to be struck by an electrically ,op erated striker, it has been discovered that metallic contact between the striker and the metal of the chime produces an undesirable metallic quality in the tone of the gong.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a chime or. gong to be struck by an electrically operated striker in which contact between the striker and the chime is accomplished through the agency of a nonmetallic device interposed therebetween.

Another object of my invention is to provide a gong or chime of the tubular type with a striking piece formed ofnon-m'etallic material to be engaged by the striker or clapper employed to ring the gong.

Another object of my invention is to provide a suspending device for a tubular gong, which suspendin device is non-metallic and constitutes a stri 'ng piece for transmitting the blow from a striker to the metallic body of the gong. Other objects of my invention will be apparent from the study of the following specification read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Y Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a pair of gongs embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view through one of the gongs and its operating mechanism taken along line 2---2 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated a pair of gongs 10 and 11 each of which is illustrated as being constituted of a metallic tube, the gong 10 being of a length greater than the gong 11, to produce a deeper tone than isproduced .by gong 11.

Each of the metallic tubes 10 and 11 is illustrated as having inserted in the upper end thereof a non-metallic striking piece 12 and 13, respectively, the striking piece 12 is illustrated as comprising a cylindrical element of non-metallic material having a portion 14 thereof of somewhat reduced diameter to form a shoulder 15 abutting the upper 1930. Serial No. 440,720.

end of the tube 10. The reduced portion of the striking piece 12 is preferably of such 1 t e striking piece 12 is preferably prov vided with an opening 16 extending longitudinally therethrough to permit insertion therethrough of a'wire, cord or other suspending device17 by which the assembled tube and striking piece may be supported. 'The wire or cord 17 is illustrated as being passed through the opening 16 and secured against removal therefrom as by meansof binding the inner ends 18 of the cord to a washer or cross piece 19.

The upper portion of the cord liconsti- I tutes a loop through which may be inserted. the outstanding end 20 of a supporting hook I or rod 21, the rod 21 being fixed to a v sup porting plate 22 in any desirable manner as by threading the hook into a threaded bore in the supporting plate.

In the form of the device illustrated the supporting plate 22 is illustrated as compris- 1ng what is known in the electrical art as a force plate or cover plate commonly employed as the exterior finish plate for an electrical outlet.

The plate 22 may be employed as the support for the striking mechanism 24 by which the gong 10 is to be rung. The striking -mechanism 24 is illustrated as comprising a solenoid or electromagnetic coil 25 within which operates a movable core or armature 26, the armature being held normally in a retracted position as by means of a compression spring 27 bearing between the solenoid 25 and head 28 for-med upon the rear end of the core 26. I

The construction vof the core 26 is illustrated as of the usual'character employed in solenoid constructions, the core comprising a section of magnetic material 29 projecting part Way into the solenoid 25, the remaining portion of the core 26 being formed of nonmagnetic material, as indicated by the reference character 30. A striker 31 is formed upon the extreme end of the core 26.

The assembly of the gong 10 and its associated striker and core is such that the upper end of the striking piece 12 is aligned with the path of movement of the striker 31 so that when the solenoid coil 30 is energized Jthe striker 31 impacts the end of the striking piece 12 which protrudes above the upper limit of the tube 10.

The striking piece 12 may be formed of any suitable non-metallic material having the characteristic of being non-metallic and of sufficient density to transmit vibration to the metal of the gong 10. Such material as dense fiber, refractory materials or phenol condensation products may be employed.

The employment of a non-metallic striking piece to receive the impact of the striker and produces a soft, pleasing tone from the gong and its employment as a means of suspending the gong from its supporting structure also achieves the characteristic of improving the soft quality of the gong tone.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to any of the details shown or described herein, except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device as described, a sounding tube having a non-metallic plug at the top thereof, means to suspend the tube by the said plug, and a striking device to strike the said lug. p 2. In a device as described, a sounding tube having a non-metallic plug at the top thereof with an opening therethrough, a suspension means extending through said opening, and a striking device adapted to strike the said plug.

3. In a chime, a tubular gong, means for striking said gong and a non-metallic striking member rigidly secured to said tubular gong to receive the impact of said striker.

4. A chime, a sounding tube, a non-metallic plug rig-idly secured to said tube. a portion of which extends exteriorly of said tube, and a striker for sounding said gong arranged to impact the extending portion of said plug.

5. In a chime, a tubular gong. a non-metallic plug inserted in one end of said tube and forming a rigid connection therewith, a portion of said plug extending outwardly of said tube, and a striker for said gong arranged to impact the extending portion of said plug.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 26th day of March, 1930.

JOSEPH W. KLEIN. 

